


Louder Than Words (Just Go)

by Lily_Amazon



Category: One Piece
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Canon Compliant, Crack, Enemies to Friends, Gen, Humor, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:15:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28482243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lily_Amazon/pseuds/Lily_Amazon
Summary: “I’m sorry you what?” Thatch was sure he misheard Ace.“I played the hoop of fire for Buggy’s lion.”Or back to the day Ace had been the perfect addition to Buggy's circus.
Relationships: Portgas D. Ace & Bagi Kaizokudan | Buggy's Band of Pirates, Portgas D. Ace & Whitebeard Pirates
Comments: 7
Kudos: 37
Collections: One Piece Bingo 2020/2021





	Louder Than Words (Just Go)

“I’m sorry you what?” Thatch was sure he misheard Ace.

“I played the hoop of fire for Buggy’s lion.”

“No way!” Haruta exclaimed, disbelief in his tone as his eyes shone in interest, silently begging his brother to tell them more.

Everyone had gathered around Ace, more tankards in hands than stars in the sky, and he revelled in the attention.

“My path crossed his and I crashed his party. They’re a bunch of rowdy pirates I can tell you that. And their food smelled so good… you know me, I couldn’t help but dig in! I heard Buggy and another woman were looking for Luffy so I introduced myself later on. Gave them quite the scare actually. And then… I fell asleep.”

The audience dropped a few snorts, well-aware of Ace’s weirdest quirk. Those Ds were nothing but trouble really.

“But when I woke up I was still in one piece so…” He shrugged. “We just went on partying.”

He drank in turn, for good measure. “That’s when I found out they had a lion in their crew. A fucking lion! How cool is that?”

“We know Buggy, yoi,” Marco supplied, smile warmed by Ace’s enthusiasm. “We met him before he set sail on his own.”

“He was already a clown,” Izo said, smug grin disappearing behind his cup as several crewmates whistled.

“Yeah, well, his crew is nothing short of a travelling circus now! And he’s pretty weird. Like all polite and shit a second, outright yelling at you the next. Guy’s got issues and I thought he might want to fight but eh, he was pretty chill in the end.”

“He still fears you Pops,” Vista guessed, addressing his father and captain. Said man laughed, smoothing his moustache.

“And then?” Thatch was growing impatient.

“Well, lion, circus, fire hoop, right? Of course I wanted to see that!”

“Of course…” Marco shook his head.

“But see, Richie, the lion, he’s as fucked up as the rest of the crew. And really when I came closer and he started growling, I forgot I was made of fire for a moment there ahahah…” He could only scratch his head in embarrassment.

“Idiot,” Izo muttered.

“But in fact, he’s pretty tame once you give him meat and Mohji’s around. So we partied for a bit and I asked if I could see him jump through a ring of fire. And man, this was so cool! But you know what’s cooler? He doesn’t jump on command.”

“What?”

“He…” Ace had to contain his laughter, clearing his throat. “He only responds to Lionel Richie’s songs.”

A couple of seconds ticked by, silent, before everyone laughed and shouted at the same time.

“No way!” Haruta exclaimed again.

“I swear. And when Buggy saw me lighting the ring, it gave him another idea. He asked me if I could _be_ the ring.” The proudest grin was on his face.

“And you agreed.” Vista looked on the verge of facepalming. Younglings nowadays…

“Well why would I say no? Plus, any Devil Fruit training is a good training, right, Marco?”

“R-right…”

“So how did you do it?”

“Well, making a hole in my chest was pretty easy. Same with temperature control.” He demonstrated, hollowing the centre of his hand, quickly replaced by dancing flames. “After that, it was just a matter of singing the right track. And trying not to laugh too much. Really it was-”

“No wait, go ahead, sing,” Haruta stopped him, retrieving a guitar out of nowhere. He threw Fossa a half-moon tambourine. The man shook it with gusto.

“What? No. I’m not gonna s-”

“Come on! We want the real deal,” someone shouted and the whole audience hummed, shaking vigorously their heads. Blenheim and Jozu’s snickers were stopped by Rakuyo’s elbow. Atmos filled Ace’s tankard to the brim.

Not one to play hard to get, Ace quickly gave in with a huff and a smile.

“Alright, alright. We started with [_Face in the crowd_](https://youtu.be/X-_K9nkX3Pc).” He began, and Haruta followed suite. Fossa joining on the refrain.

_I'm just a face in the crowd  
You probably don't know me as I don't stand out  
And I'm sure your heart doesn't beat for me, no_

_Save a little love for me  
Save a little love for me yeah_

“And all the while with a lion jumping right through me guys, huh! Picture it,” Ace supplied with a grin when a couple of his brothers had started clapping their hands in rhythm.

“Then we went for [_Brick House_](https://youtu.be/0330YcQPLHk?t=62).” He drank from his mug before standing, resuming his long-awaited performance. Haruta had already started playing and many pirates kept clapping along. He counted the bars, waiting for the right time, and jumped in with a casual smile and an easy swing of shoulders.

_'Cause she's a brick house  
She's mighty-mighty, just lettin' it all hang out  
She's a brick house  
Ow, that lady stacked and that's a fact  
Ain't holding nothing back_

_Ow, she's a brick house  
Yeah, she's the one, the only one, built like an amazon_

“Ace, you crooner!” a brother shouted and he missed a few lines, cheeks red before flipping off the crowd. Everyone cooed and laughed.

Dadan listened to those songs when she thought she was alone in the house. He remembered Makino humming some tunes too. It was more a matter of not getting it stuck in your head than memorizing the lyrics really.

The song ended in raucous laughter and Ace didn’t wait. “After that, it was time for [_Climbing to the top_](https://youtu.be/pkMhfwlPMso?t=315).”

“Gosh, that one would be so much better with a piano and a couple strings,” Haruta moaned.

“Can’t that be arranged?” Curiel asked as he rose and walked towards the galley. Jiru followed him and they soon wheeled their piano out. Haruta gave the guitar to one of his men and all but jumped on the stool, deft fingers already creating the melody on the ivory keyboard.

Shouts echoed again and Thatch threw a beer cap at a drinking Ace. Activating his power, the bottle top flew right through his collarbone and everyone cheered. “The lion was bigger!” he said after swallowing booze audibly, just in time to start singing anew.

_Climbing to the top  
I'll tell you anything you want  
You're on an imaginary journey  
To a place beyond_

Ace closed his eyes, carried away by Haruta’s skills. Rocking ever slightly, he raised his hands over his head, flaming thumbs crackling in the night. Groupie with the most satisfied smile.

_You can climb the highest mountain  
Swim the deepest seas  
The only thing that matters  
Is you will find your destiny_

Someone cheered in the crowd when his singing faded in sync with Haruta’s music. “Ace, what a voice!”

The second division commander bowed with a grin.

“And of course, we finished with [_All Night Long_](https://youtu.be/nqAvFx3NxUM?t=19).”

“All night,” someone else topped in the crowd and laughs echoed again.

Haruta let go of the piano, retrieving his fiddle. He gestured to Blamenco, sitting on a crate, and the man started banging on it like a drum. Fossa jingled his tambourine in sync.

It seemed Thatch had inspired other crewmembers as they started throwing beer caps and other small objects at Ace. He widened his fire ring, right above his heart. He didn’t mind being an easy target tonight. Kingdew was frowning, concentrating, berris jingling in his hand.

But Haruta’s music and call were stronger, imperious. With a nod, he resumed singing.

_Well, my friends, the time has come  
To raise the roof and have some fun_

He moved the ring slightly to the left so Namur wouldn’t miss.

_Throw away the work to be done  
Let the music play on_

“Oh man and then Mohji and a couple guys started making the backup singers. With _play on, play on, play on_.” He laughed, clapping his hands, submerged by joy.

_Everybody sing, everybody dance  
Lose yourself in wild romance  
We're going to Party, Karamu, Fiesta, forever  
Come on and sing along!  
All night long_

“All night,” the Whitebeard Pirates echoed, yelling, laughing, loud, happy. The Moby’s floor quivered along Newgate’s rumbling guffaws.

_All night long (all night)  
All night long (all night)_

Haruta stretched the song way longer than necessary, taking advantage of the crew’s cheerfulness. When they realised what he was doing, tiring themselves parroting the same refrain over and over again, Ace found himself under a heavy fire of projectiles.

He laughed as they passed through him, shining briefly before falling back into the dark. Izo’s aim was flawless.

He finally implored Haruta’s mercy and the man assented, ending their shared misery. Ace fell to the ground, laughing exhausted heap, warm bottle caps and coins prickling the skin of his back.

“That lion sure has some taste in music,” he heard as he tried to catch his breath. He couldn’t disagree and sat up with a sigh.

“I swear by dawn we had a whole show choreographed. Buggy had even started planning a tour and stopovers!” Ace chuckled, eyes creasing and whitest teeth. “He was truly disappointed when I told him I couldn’t stay.”

They laughed again and Marco smiled, shaking his head. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”

As the hype receded, atmosphere quieting down, someone handed him his tankard, filled once again.

“Anyway, it was one of the funniest things I’ve done with my devil fruit. Richie’s stamina is… I really want to try that out with Kotatsu! What do you say, Deuce?”

“No.”

The crew burst out laughing at the definitive answer of his former first mate. Ace scowled, pouting.

“I don’t need your permission anyway.” And he had seen him enjoying it and singing along the rest of the crew. Surely it would only be a matter of time…

Loud cries woke him with a start. A seagull was perched on Striker’s mast waiting for the sea knew what. Ace groaned at the sun, searing white light blinding him. He reached for the protection of his cowboy hat as he wiped sleepily at his face.

A melody was looping at the back of his mind.

He sat up, taking in his surroundings. Blue all around, the vast open sea. A quick look to the log pose secured to his wrist told him he was still on course and he sighed.

The tune was louder now and he hummed.

_[How long](https://youtu.be/WA2Euxq3S1U?t=116), must this feeling go on  
How long, must I stand the pain and  
How long, must this feeling go on  
waiting for the night  
Waiting for the right time to run_

That was one song they didn’t pick with Mohji, although they sang plenty. It was better that way. Would have killed the mood for sure.

For a moment he had been worried Buggy would throw a fit and lose it. The food was good, it would have been a shame to ruin it all with a fight. But he boarded a ship and stuffed his face uninvited so… It wouldn’t have been completely insane either.

The welcome had been warmer after his polite introduction, weird split personality set aside. Buggy pirates were fun. Richie was amazing. Like a tamer version of the tiger they once hunted, deep in the forest of Mount Corvo. Smaller too, but still fierce. Booze had helped strengthening newly-formed bonds and he had found himself the centre of attention, a determined lion jumping right through him as he sang himself hoarse, exalted, merry.

The resemblance with the Spades and the Whitebeards couldn’t be denied. Maybe he had sensed it? That would explain some things…

Tensed first impression and hostility turning into familiarity and acceptance. Lasting or not. Ace wasn’t a man to overstay his welcome anyway.

The farewells with Buggy had been sad on the clown’s end, aggravated by the prospect of losing decent money he could have made with this new, outstanding show. The crew’s friendship and tears weren’t faked though.

Ace had better things to do but enjoyed the short respite nonetheless. Petting a lion and doing circus tricks had been a great bonus.

Shadow looming over him or tiny pointy rock in his shoe, he was on a mission and could only afford momentary distractions.

Striker roared and surged forward as he activated his fire. He was growing tired of the chase.

 _How long_ Ace hummed again and something tightened in his chest.

_Why can't we just run away, and oh run  
A place were we can be alone and nobody finds us, run_

He reached for his backpack and pulled his snailphone out. He dialled the number without even thinking twice.

“Ace, come home,” was Marco’s rushed greeting, and good Lord how badly he wanted to.

“You know I can’t,” he answered instead.

Because he was a man of honour. Because promises had to be kept no matter the cost.  
Because he should have seen it coming.  
Because he would never deserve rest.  
Or peace.  
Or-

“Ace,” Marco called out, gentle, cajoling. His fingers tightened on the dark shiny shell. There was no turning back. Never had been. Not even once. Not for him.

There was at least one thing certain in this world _then_. The smile on his lips wasn’t forced.

“Marco, I… Something great happened a couple days ago. Can I tell you?”

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the One Piece Bingo for the prompt "enemies to friends". Posted on January 1st 2021, to celebrate Ace's birthday and bid farewell to 2020.
> 
> To my surprise, Ace asking Richie to jump through a fire ring is canon and shown in chapter 233 (episode 145). 
> 
> This was first intended as pure crack, light and fun, but my stupid canon-compliant brain pointed out to me that Ace met Buggy _after_ the "Teach incident" and I couldn't unsee it. I'm sorry. 
> 
> The Lionel Richie idea is born from a friend reminding me about Richie's name. And I've been laughing ever since.  
> I spent the 30th listening to Lionel Richie's major hits, looking for lyrics that would fit.  
> "Louder Than Words" and "Just Go" are the titles of two of his albums. I wavered for the longest time between those and "Coming Home", "Dancing on the ceiling" or "Can't slow down".  
> Etta James' "Jump into my fire" could have worked too...
> 
> Many thanks to MAD for putting up with my vocal whining and giggling as I wrote the outline. 
> 
> If you want to, leave me some feedback.  
> Take care,  
> Lily.


End file.
